Power line tapping clamp



July 8, 1947. c. E. REYNOLDS 1 2,423,660

POWER LINE TAPPING CLAMP Filed July 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l 66 3 7 6/ v '1' INVENTOR. I 2 Char/es E Reyna/015 64 BY I y c. E. REYNOLDS POWER LINE TAPPING CLAMP Filed July 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvroa. Char/es E. Reynolds A orney Patentecl July 8, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a power tapping clamp and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a novel construction of clamp adapted to firmly grip a conductor line, the clamp being readily operable from a distance of six to eight feet to position the clamp on the line or remove it therefrom. a

It is a still further and important object of the invention to provide a line clamp wherein the clamping jaws are actuated through a manipulating pole in such manner that downward pull on the line is avoided when applying and removing the clamp from the line, as well as preventing twist of the line and possible breakage.

It is also an important object of the invention to provide a clamp in which the actuating levers of the clamp and the manipulating pole are provided with interengaging means for securely supporting the clamp upon a pole, yet said means be ing readily and quickly released with a minimum of effort, a single tension spring functioning to clamp the jaws upon a line, as well as maintain the pole and levers of the clamp in inter-engaged relation.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure l is a vertical section through the clamp with the manipulating pole in operative position between the adjusting levers of the jaws.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the manipulating pole.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the clamp.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the clamp.

Figure 5 is a Vertical section on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an inside plan View of a pair of hingedly connected movable jaws of the clamp.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a clamp device Ill consisting of a rigid jaw II to which there is pivotally connected a movable jaw I2, as will be described. The rigid jaw II has a lower extension I3 of concave contour upon its inner side, and at the lower end thereof there is formed a lug I4 apertured as at I5, for reception of the wire of a cable I6. A binding screw I1 is engaged in the lug adapted to impinge upon the wire for securement thereto.

Inwardly of the lug I4 and extending medially and longitudinally of the jaw there is an outwardly disposed pocket or recess I8 for a purpose presently to be explained. The sides of the lever H are extended laterally beyond the extension |3 as at I9 and has formed at upper and lower portions thereof respective ears 2!] and 2|. At a point approximately medially of the ears 20 and 2|, the lever is formed with an outwardly presented pocket 22 forming a seat for a tension spring to be described.

The upper end of the lever II is formed with a right angularly extended jaw 23, the under face of which is shaped in a series of spaced convolutions 24 of varying diameters, the larger being positioned at the rearmost portion of the jaw.

The lever I2 is of short length stopping on a line medially of the pocket 22 of the lever I I. The lever |2 has parallel side walls 25 spaced apart so as to be freely presented between the ears 2!) of the lever II and are pivoted therebetween by means of a pivot pin 26. The walls 25 merge into the body of the lever |2 in an upward direction, providing ample clearance for swinging movement of the lever. The lever I2 terminates at the upper end in a right angular jaw 21 in opposed relation to the jaw 23 and is provided with convolutions 24' complemental to the convolutions 24 of the jaw 23. It will be understood that the convolutions of the jaws afiord a grip upon difierent diameters of lines to be tapped.

The lower end of the jaw I2 has an inwardly disposed shoulder 28 and a downwardly offset extension 29, the latter terminating in a transverse head 30. The extension and head lie in a plane medially of the pocket 22 for a purpose to be explained.

A lever 3| is pivotally mounted between the ears 2| of the lever I3 by means of a pivot pin 32. The upper end of the lever 3| has a longitudinally extended slot 33 adapted to receive the head 30 and extension 29 therethrough. In assembling the lever 3| to the lever I2, which would be accomplished before assembly upon the lever l3, the head 30 would be presented lengthwise through the slot 33, the jaw being rotated to the position the head transversely of the slot. A helical tension spring 34 is employed to obtain a gripping action between the jaws and as shown, one end of the spring is seated in the pocket 22, while the other end is engaged about the head 39 of the lever I2, thus exerting outward pressure on the upper end of the lever 3| with corresponding pressure on the lower end of the lever I2.

The lever 3| has a concave contour upon its interior surface in opposed relation to that of the lever I3, and extending from the lower end of the lever 3| longitudinally thereof for a substantial distance, there is an open channel 35 diametrically opposite the pocket l8 of the lever l3. The pocket It and the channel 35 provide the means for mounting the clamp upon a manipulating pole, generally indicated by the reference character 36, now to be described, attention being invited to Figure 2 of the drawing.

The pole consists of a base or handle 31 upon the upper end of which there is mounted a shaft 38 of suitable length for support of a camming head 39. As here shown, the head comprises a shank 4D fixed in the upper end of the shaft 38 and at one side thereof, as indicated at 4|. The shank 4D has a pair of apertured ears 42 at its extremity lying approximately in the medial longitudinal axis of the shaft, and between these ears, a lug [3 of a camming lever 44 is positioned and pivoted by means of a pin 45.

Upon the inner side of the shank 40 a rib 46 is formed extending longitudinally thereof, from the end of the shaft 38 up to the ears 42. Upon the opposite side of the shank a projection 4! is formed of dimensions so as to readily seat within the pocket or recess l8 of the extension I3.

The lever 44 is also formed with a rib 48 upon its inner side, extending from the free end of the lever up to the lug 43. Upon the opposite side of the lever 44 a further rib 43 is formed as an integral part thereof extending from the free end of the lever and of a length slightly less than the channel 35 into which it is slidably received.

A cam head 58 is employed having a straight vertical side i longitudinally grooved as at 52, so as to slidably receive the rib 46, while the opposite side is inwardly tapered as at 53, and has a groove 54 complemental to the rib 47. A rod 55 is fixed in the lower end of the head, as at 56, the rod extending along side and guided within a groove 55 formed in the shaft 38 and additionally supported by a sleeve 51 mounted on the upper end of the shaft. The handle 3'! has a longitudinal bore 58 open at its lower end, the upper end having a reduced opening through which the rod 55 may pass into the bore. The rod 55 terminates in a head 60 disposed within the bore and located approximately medially thereof. A helical spring 59 is engaged about the rod interposed between the head 60 and the upper end of the bore, by which construction it will be seen that the cam head will be normally held in retracted position. The lower open end of the bore 53 is closed by a plug 6 l, the latter having an axially threaded opening for reception of a threaded stem 32. Upon the inner end of the stem and disposed within the bore there is a head 63, the outer end of the stem being provided with an operating knob E4, for rotating the stem so as to advance the head 53 into pressing engagement with the head 60 of the rod. It will be apparent that by continued rotation of the stem 62, the rod and cam head will be advanced in an upward direction which movement is required to effect opening movement of the movable jaw 12, as will be described. Upon retraction of the stem 62, tension on the spring 59 will be reduced, allowing it to expand to draw the rod and head downwardly to normal position.

In use, the clamp is presented upon the cam head 50, the extension 13 being presented along the straight side 5! of the head with the pocket 18 seating the projection 41 and the rib 49 engaged in the channel 35. In this position of the clamp, the jaws would be closed. However, by rotating the stem 62, pressure would be exerted upon the head 60 compressing the spring 59, the

rod 55 being moved upwardly advancing the cam head, the latter being guided by the rib 4B. As the cam head moves upwardly, the inclined face 53 effects outward movement of the lever 44 which is likewise imparted to lever 31 of the clamp. When the lever 3! is thus moved, the upper end thereof is moved inwardly against the spring 34 and since the jaw I2 is connected to the lever, the lower end of the jaw will be likewise moved about the pivot pin 26, moving the jaw [2 to open position in readiness to be presented to a wire to be tapped. The pole and attached clamp is then elevated and manipulated so as to present the open jaws upon a wire, the

r proper convolution 24 being selected so as to rest upon the wire. It is now only necessary to retract the rod 55 and associated cam head by retracting the stem'62 by proper rotation. As the cam head is retracted, the levers 3| and 44 are urged outwardly by the spring 34 and the jaw l2 moves to clamping position with respect to the jaw H. To remove the clamp from a wire, the pole is manipulated to present the cam head between the extension l3 and lever 44 and the stem then operated to advance the cam head to effect opening movement of the jaw 12.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of the device, this is by way of illustration only and I consider as my own all such modifications in construction as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A line tapping clamp comprising a fixed jaw having a lower extension, a swinging jaw pivota-lly connected thereto, a lever pivotally connected to the fixed jaw, the upper end thereof being pivotally connected to a lower end of the swinging jaw, spring means between the fixed j aw and the pivot of said lever and swinging jaw to move the swinging jaw into closed engagement with the fixed jaw, and a handle device including a shank engageable in the lower extension of the fixed jaw, a camming lever pivotally connected to said shank and engaging said first named lever, a longitudinally movable cam head disposed between said shank and camming lever, and said handle device further having means for advancing and retracting said cam head.

A line tapping clamp comprising a fixed jaw having a lower concave extension, a swinging jaw pivotally connected to an upper portion of the fixed jaw, a lever having a concave portion in opposed relation to said concave extension pivotally connected to the lower end of the swinging jaw, said lever being pivotally connected to said extension intermediately of its length, spring means between the fixed jaw and a low portion of said swinging jaw for holding the latter in closed position upon the fixed jaw, and a handle device consisting of a pole having a reduced shank adapted to engage within the concave portion of said extension, a lever swinga-bly mounted to the upper end of the shank and disposed Within the concave portion of the first named lever, a longitudinally movable cam head disposed be- .tween said shank and said second named lever and means for advancing and retracting said lever.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which the concave portion of said extension is provided with a pocket, said shank having a projection engageable therein, said first named lever being formed with a longitudinally extended open ended channel, said lever having a longitudinally extended rib slidably engaging the channel, said shank and the second named lever having longitudinally extended opposed ribs, and said cam head having longitudinally extended slots icomplemental to said opposed ribs.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which said fixed and swinging jaws are each provided with a series of opposed spaced convolutions for gripping a line, said convolutions being of progressive diameters, the larger being positioned at the rearmost portion of the jaws.

5. A pole for actuating a line clamp of the character described comprising a main pole having a handle and an upper reduced shank, said shank having a projection for engaging a pocket formed in an extension of the clamp and a longitudinal rib on the other side of the shank, a lever pivotally connected to the upper end of the shank, said lever having a longitudinal rib in opposed relation to the rib on the shank, a longitudinal rib 0n the opposite side of said lever complemental to a slot formed in a swinging lever of the clamp, a reciprocable rod mounted in said handle and parallel to said main pole, a cam head carried by the rod, said cam head having a slot for reception of the rib on the extension and an inwardly inclined slot for reception of the opposed rib of the lever, and means at said handle for projecting and retracting said rod and cam head.

6. The structure of claim 5, in which the means for projecting and retracting said rod consists of a head on the rod reciprocable in a bore formed in the handle, a helical spring in the bore opposing upward movement of the rod, and a threaded stem having a head in said bore adapted to engage the head of the rod upon rotation thereof in one direction to overcome the action of said helical spring.

CHARLES E. REYNOLDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,729,276 Ohlsen Sept. 24, 1929 2,397,390 Wadsworth Mar. 26, 1946 2,120,447 Tipsord June 14, 1938 

